Beet-topper.



PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

L. GETTELMANN.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 24, 1906,

5 S 1EETS-SHEBT 1.

v I Q 1 fa O 110 861,511. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. L. GETTELMANN.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED 11017.24. 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Non

PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

L. GETTELMANN.

BEET TOPPBR. APPLICATION FILED NOV.2/4,1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

L. GETTBLMA-NN.

BEBT TOPPBR. APPLICATION FILED HOV. 24,1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEBT 4v W A #4 oz W0 8;

FATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

L. GETTBLMANN.

BEET TOPPER: APPLICATION FILED HOV. 24,1906.

6 BHEETSBHEBT 5.

jwva V562) I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEET-TOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July- 30, 1907.

Application filed November 24,1906. Serialllo- 344,826.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUDWIG Gnr'rnnMaNN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Germantown, in the county of Washington and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Toppers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full, clear, and' exact description thereof. 7

My invention has for its object to provide simple and durable machines for topping beets, the arrangement of the mechanism being such that it will operate effectually to top the beets, under various climatic conditions to which they are subjected at the time of harvesting, said machine being also capable of operating tongue and accompanying parts constituting the draftrigging removed, as well as the gear-cover, there being other parts in section and broken away to more clearly show the invention; Fig. 3, a detail sectional elevation of the machine looking from the elevator side, thesec;

tion being indicated by line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail plan view of the draft-rigging comprising the tongue, hounds, etc., detached from the machine Fig. 5, an enlarged detail section of the topping-apparatus with the adjacent beet-top elevator in elevation, the section being indicated by line 55 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a detail plan view of the cutting disk and its accompanying stripping-mechanism, the diskapron being in section upon a plane, as indicated by line (r- 6 of the preceding figure; 7 and 8, plan and edge views respectively of a fragment of the cutting-disk, showing the peculiar formation'of the cuttingteeth, and Figs. 9 and 10, are sections of the same as indicated by lines 9-9 and 10-10 respectively of Fig. 7.

Referring by letterto the drawings, A indicates the main axle, supportedby wheels B, that are provided with lugs a riveted to the wheel-rims to insure traction in all kinds of soil. The main frame 0 ofthe machine is mounted upon the axle, being similar in construction to that of an ordinary mower, and having a forward projecting split sleeve b, which forms bearings for a counter-shaft D, which shaft is in bevel-gear connection with a train of gears c, c, d, d, the gear d being fast on the axle A, whereby motion is transferred to the train from the traction-wheels. The lower end of sleeve b, terminates in arms having vertical boxes e, e, that support an arbor E, which is driven by a bevel-gear wheel F, fast thereon and in mesh with a bevel-pinion G, secured to the counter-shaft D, the upper box 0 being formed with a hood f that protects the bevel-gear F from entanglement with beet-tops. The lower end of arbor E is formed with a hub g, which has radial fingers H projecting therefrom that are 'curved upward and also backward from the direction of the rotation of said arbor, these fingers serving to catch the beet-tops anddeliver the same to anelevating-apparatus to be hereinafter described.

- A concavo-convex disk I is secured to the lower face of the hub .9, having its convexed face, presented towards the ground, and its cutting-edge formed with saw-teeth h, as best shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10 inclusive of the drawings. The arbor E is set at a right-an:

-gle to the forwardly inclined sleeve portion of the mainframe, and owing to said inclination the front cuttingedge of the disk is tilted downward having the body of said disk flared up and away from the ground to form a clearance which will thus prevent liability of the aforesaid disk coming in contact withthe severed beets or uneven ground. y

The teeth h are beveled to circumferential knifeedges from point to point of abrupt faces 1, the intersecting line of the bevel with relation to the upper face of thedisk being tapered backward to the base of the face i of the followingtooth to form notches, which rotations of the disk, and serve to catch any dead leaves of the beet-tops and carry the same to a point of discharge as said disk revolves. The notches also insure the cutting of the leaves and tops as well as clearing the knife of any particles that inay cause the same to choke, and by the peculiar formation of the teeth, the said'knife can be readily sharpened by unskilled labor without removing the disk.

When the tops of the beets are severed they fall upon the disk and are caught between the fingers H, which, owing to their rapid rotation, by centrifugal force, throw saidtops outward upon an elevator-chain J, that is arranged in an elevator-frame K directly adjacent to the discharge side of said disk.

The elevator-frame Krconsists of parallel angle-iron bars secured to the main-frame C, by straps j. The lower ends of these barsterminate adjacent to the cutting-disk and have bearings for a roller 7:, over-which the elevator-chain J travels, the chain being driven at the opposite end of the frame by sprocket-wheels m, through gear-wheels 'n, n", which are fast oh shafts p and 0. Said shaft 0 and a shaft p that carries the sprocket-wheels m are supported in brackets q, secured to the angle-iron bars of the elevator-frame. The shaft 0 also carries a sprocket-wheel T fast thereon that is in link-belt connection with another sprocket 3 fast on the main-axle of the machine, from which said elevator receives its drive.

While the cutting disk is in motion as previously stated, the severed tops are thrown upon the elevator and thereby delivered to a carrier L. In order to prevent said tops from snarling in the lingers II and being carried past the point of deliverin a'stripper I is secured to the elevator-frame having its end curved towards the center of said "titling-disk between the upper face thereof and said lingers, in such a manner as to form a stationarv cam. which serves to detlect the boot stitute what may be termed the truck of the machine,

and the draft-rigging connected thereto is composed of a pole or tongue P, having hounds Q, which hounds are secured to cars t of boxes 11 loosely mounted upon the main axle, the tongue being also provided with the usual supporting bar R on which is fastened a seat. Secured to one of the hounds-is a notched segment .8, which serves as a bearing for one end of a rock-shaft T, the opposite end thereof being supported in a bearingblock 10 secured to a cross-brace a; of the hounds, this rock-shaft carrying a detent lever U, which operates in connection with the segment, and in conjunction with an arm V fast on said rock-shaft serving as a raising and lowering means for the cutting-apparatus.

The upper arm of sleeve 1) of the cutting-apparatus has secured thereto a cross-brackety having an ear 2 that is linked to thearm V of the raising and lowering mechanism, whereby said cutting apparatus may by the detent-lever be lifted during transportation of the machine, and dropped to its working-position in the field. A similar mechanism for regulating the elevation of the cutting-apparatus is also provided for the purpose of controlling the disk with relation to its work while in operation. This mechanism comprises a footlever W. that is pivoted to the opposite hound from that on which the segment is secured, the short arm of the lever being connected to a chain or cable a which passes over a guide-pulley I) mounted upon said hound. The chainor cable is then connected toa yoke X carried by the sleeve b of the cutting-apparatus.

By the above described footcontrolling means the operator may raise or lower the cutting-apparatus instantly as the case may requ'ire, and thus obtain' perfcct control of the machine to produce the best results.

In practice it has been found that in the growing of beets, owing to various conditions, they mature in some locations with the bulb exposed much higher from the ground than that in others, the stock above the ground being comparatively useless for some purpose. It is desirable to provide means for adjusting the height of cut in accordance with the will of the operator. To accomplish the above results a feed and supporting roller A having lag-strips c is mounted in the yoke X in advance of the cutting disk, the yoke being pivoted at the rear end of the sleeve b, by a bolt d passing through the yoke ends and ears projecting from said sleeve.

Positive adjustment of the yoke and its roller A is obtained by bolts 0, which connect said yokmarms with the cross-bracket y by means of nuts f in threaded engagement with the bolts, there being springs y interposed between said yoke and cross-bracket so as to spread the parts when the bolts are lengthened by adjusting the nuts, and also form a slight yield between the roller and cutting disk.

By the above described arrangement, the roller can be adjusted to any height with relation to the forward cutting-edge of the disk, and owing to the position of the roller in advance of said disk, the former will ride over the beets and thus regulate the depth of cut. The said roller also is positively driven by means of a small sprocket wheel it fast on the roller-shaft, in link-beltconnection with a large sprocket-wheel 7; secured to the main axle, the peripheral speed of the roller being faster than the forward travel of the machine, whereby said roller not only regulates the depth of cut, but also has a pulling feed action of the beet-tops towards the cutting edge of the disk, and thereby insures gathering the leaves in bunches to be severed this feature being important in order to get a clean cut should the leaves be damp or flattened out through climatic conditions.

To insure the tops being delivered to the elevator,'a spring-toothed reel B is mounted above the roller k thereof, having one of its hearings in a standard j projecting from the elevator-frame and its other bearing in a depending arm k of the cross-bracket y, the reel-shaft being driven by a bevel-pinion l in mesh with the bevel-gear F on the arbor E of the cutting-apparatus.

As shown. suitable idle-rollers 'm m are secured to the'yoke and sleeve 1) of the cutting-apparatus to support 'the drive-chain of the feed-roller inorder to prevent said chain'in its rotation from disengagement with its sprockets.

It will be understood from the preceding description that in operation the beets and their tops will be drawn towards the cutting-disk by the increased speed of the feed-roller and severed, thereafter being thrown upon the elevator which delivers them to the carrier that may be dumped at the will of the operatori If desired however it is obvious that the carrier and elevator in some instances can be dispensed with, in which case the several beet tops will be thrown upon the ground directly to one side of the disk, the stripper being then connected to the main frame of the machine, and while I have shown one method of obtaining the drive of the cutting-disk from the main axle, it is obvious that any gear connection can be utilized for this purpose within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic, the essential features of my machine being the adjustment of the disk with relation towork, the adjustable feed-roller,-said roller being driven at a higher peripheral speed than the travel of the machine and the peculiar construction of the cutting-teeth of the disk.

I claim:

1. A bcettopping ifTachine comprising a truck consisting of traction-wheels, axle and main frame suppo'rted upon the axle. a forward extension projecting from the frame, a supporting-roller for said forward extension. a horizontally disposed driven cutting disk carried by the aforesaid forward extension and to the rear of the roller, fingers located upon the upper face of the disk, 21 stationary stripper interposed between the fingers and upper disk face, a draft-rigging in connection with the truck, and means in connection with the draft-rigging and aforesaid forward extension of the main-frame, whereby the latter is raised or lowered.

'2. A beet-topping machine comprising a truck consistingof traction-wheels, axle and main-frame supported upon the axle, a forward extensioaprojecting from the frame, a supporting-roller for said forward extension, a horizontally disposed driven cutting-disk carried by the aforesaid forward extension and to the rear of the roller, fingers located upon the upper face of the disk, a drivenelevator disposed to one side of the disk, 21 draft-rigging in connection with the truck, and means in connection with the draft-rigging and aforesaid forward extension of the main-frame, whereby the latter is raised or lowered.

.4. A beet-topping machine comprising a truck consisting of traction wheels, axle .and main frame supported upon the axle, a forward extension projecting from the frame, an adjustable supporting roller for said frame-exframe an adjustable supporting roller for said frame extension, a driven cutting-disk carried by the aforesaid frameextension, the face of the disk being inclined so as to bring its front cutting-edge towards the ground, fingers located upon the upper face of the disk, a stationary stripper located adjacent to the fingers, a draft-rigging in connection with the truck, and means in connection with the draftriggiug and main-frame, whereby the latter is raised or lowered.

4. A beet-topping machine comprising a truck consistinanof traction-wheels, axle and main-frame supported upon the axle, a forward extension projecting from the frame, a shaft mounted in the forward frame extension, in gear-connection with the truck-axle,-a vertically disposed arbor carried by said frame-extension in gear-connection with the shaft, a cutting-disk secured to the arbor, a yoke in adjustable connection with the. aforesaid frame-extension, a driven feed-roller carried by the yoke forward of the cutting-disk, a draft-rigging in connection with the truck, and means in connection with the draft-rigging'and forward frame-extension whereby the elevation of the latter is regulated.

A beet-topping machine comprising a truck consisting of traction-wheels, axle and main-frame supported upon the axle, a-forward downwardly inclined extension projecting from the main-frame, a shaft in bevel-gear cohnection with said axle carried by the extension, a vertically disposed arbor supported by said extension in bevelgear connection with the shaft, a conca-vo-convex cuttingdisk carried by the arbor, radial fingers disposed above the' disk, a stationary stripper for the fingers, a yoke adjustabiy connected to the aforesaid forward frame-extenk sion, a supporting and feed-roller carried by the yoke forward of the cutting-disk, sprockets secured to the roller and axle of the machine in chain-belt connection for driving said roller, a draft-rigging in connection with the truck, a detent lever carried by the draft-rigging in linkconnection with the forward frame-extension,-and a. supplementary foot-lever in connection'with said frame extension, whereby the elevation of the cutting-disk may be controlled.

In testimony that I, claim the foregoing I, have here unto set-my hand at S. Germantown in the county of Washington and State of Wisconsin in the presence of two witnesses.

LUDWIG GETTELMANN. 

